I am done trying to come up with a better title. If you have a better title leave a suggestion as a comment and I will fix it.
The Barack Obama card board stand up in front of the Democrats' booth at the Ventura County Fair was ripped up by a man yelling profanities including a racial slur. Click on continue reading for details.
In 2004, the George W. Bush stand up at the Republican Party's Headquarters was stolen by someone that ran out with it. I don't recall fi they ever got it back but if I remember correctly the thief took it back to the San Fernando Valley where the police didn't do much for such a petty offense.
Read through the comments on Dailykos about this story. An keep your cardboard stand ups safe!
Sandy, do you have signs and bumper stickers for Barack Obama at the booth?
I called Rep. Gallegly's office to find out when his next public event was but they don't have a schedule. They did say he was attending the fair sometimes but didn't say when. If you go to the fair you might get lucky enough to ask a question.
Are there any other candidates at the fair?
I have the honor to serve on the executive board of our county's Democratic Central Committee. Imagine my shock when I woke up this morning to an email from our parliamentarian with the subject line that is the title of this diary!
Some background is probably appropriate here. Every year at our county fair we have a booth for the Democratic Party. The Republicans have their booth within sight of ours down the aisle and across the way. Our booth sits right at the entrance to the Commercial building where all the vendors who hawk the waterless cookware and super duper cleaning solutions have their booths. We draw quite a large crowd, while the poor folks across the aisle wait patiently for someone to come talk with them.
This year one of our Omaba delegates procured a life-size Barack cutout which we proudly displayed in front of our booth. People lined up to have their pictures taken with him. So many people wanted to buy him or take him home after the fair, but we had to politely decline.
Our parliamentarian is actually one of our former committee chairs. She and her husband (both in their golden years!) have dutifully and lovingly assembled, decorated and maintained this booth for the entire ten days of the fair run for many years.
Last night, as they were preparing to close the booth for the night, a young white male, wearing a black fedora, grabbed Barack and tried to run off with him while shouting "F***ing Ni**er!" Unfortunately, Barack was being held in place by a zip tie near his head. This charming young man succeeded in running off past the security guards with Barack's head.
I can assure you that the cutouts of McCain, Reagan and W are still safe and sound in the booth across the way.
What a sad commentary on the culture of fear and anger that the current administration has fostered in our society that would encourage this type of behavior.
The fair runs through this weekend and it is doubful we can replace him before it closes. I am tempted to recommend that we leave his body in place and post a sign where his head should be. I still can't come up with the words to put there. Maybe someone on here has a good idea.
UPDATE
Good News! Another Obama delegate from our district had recently purchased another cutout due to the high demand for "in person" appearances by Barack at our events. His motorcade should be arriving at the fairgrounds as I type this!
Thanks everyone for their useful (and some not so useful) ideas!
Defacing cutouts and racial slurs is just wrong. A couple of years ago, one of the Republican cutouts was defaced. Sitting in one of the booths is a done on a volunteer basis and parking and admittance is rarely paid for so not only is the time contributed but $$$ to be there.
The good news for the Dems is that the defacer probably won't vote.
Sandy,
Where did you find the Barack Obama cardboard stand up and how much was it?
On a purely moral issue, I am not ok with this.. Its unacceptable and completely ridiculous. At the end of the day we should all be able to shake hands and move on with our beliefs. The fact of the matter is that sort of behavior is outta hand, and republican or democrat no one should be ok with this.
I was reading the story from the guy's blog on this Brian and he said "rest assured, the McCain, Reagan, and W cut outs are fine"... I am not ok with him making this a partisan issue or even blowing wind on this toward the republican direction. I am just as mad at this crazy tearing up the Obama cut out as I would be a McCain or W one...
It is unfortunate when these types of things happen. I also agree with gopblondie that this is not a partisan issues as there are people on both sides that behave dishonorably. This type of behavior is not condoned by either party, and the idiots who do these things actually undermine their own cause.
Of course it happens to both sides. I mentioned that it happened to the Simi Valley Republicans before. I think the fair volunteers were also responding to what the person said.
No Brian, you missed my point. What I was saying is I did not like the link to that blog you connected to your page as coverage on the event. I don't like how "Gay Democrat" in a red district was condescending about his comments on the W, Reagan, and McCain cut outs still being intact implying that something like that would never happen to the republican booth...
Hes not being fair what so ever. That freak who tore up the obama cut out is lucky I wasn't there when that happened because he wouldn't have liked how I would have responded to his childish behavior.
I think it is clear that both sides have people that support them that they aren't proud of. It is clear this particular person wouldn't have done the same thing to a Republican Booth.
But I do suggest keeping the President Bush cut out safe. There are surely people that would go after that cardboard stand up also.
No Brian, you're wrong. It is not clear that this person wouldn't have done the same thing to the republican booth or a republican cut out. How do you know for a FACT that this person wasn't some random kook out to be a jerk?
You're defending the partisanship of the "gay democrat" from a red district and its very frustrating.
And now, you're suggesting that the kook who tore this cut out up is a republican by saying "it is clear this particular person wouldn't have done the same to a republican booth"
I am going by the racial slur he shouted.
In 2004 I am pretty sure it wasn't a Republican that stole the Bush cardboard stand up.
This time I am pretty sure it wasn't a Democrat that did this either.
Of course it could be a random person doing it for apolitical reasons. But if that was the case why not grab something from another booth? Why shout what they did?
I am not saying that this person represents local Republicans just like the person that stole the Bush cardboard stand up represents Democrats.
This particular person seemed to be motivated in part by racist feelings. I wouldn't expect them to do the same thing to a Bush cardboard stand up. But he should maybe get a cardboard stand up of a secret service agent as I am sure there are many people that would be tempted if they could get away with it.
I think Bubba Kidd was correct when they said these people think they are helping but really they make their side look worse.
By no means does a random fair goer represent either party.
BTW, thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.
This is much ado about nothing in my opinion. Some stupid kid probably pulling a stunt to impress his equally stupid friends, who are all probably too ignorant to have filled out a registration form to vote. A few years ago, someone defaced an Arnold cutout at the Republican booth. Should all Dems be blamed for that action? No, because it was probably some stupid kid that pulled that stunt too.
Voter registration numbers, raising money and getting out the vote are what concern me.
The head of a cardboard cutout being pulled off, while inappropriate, annoying and probably a misdemeanor -really not a big deal.
But hey, if anyone sees the brat who did it again, call him over and tell him "no hard feelings" and you want to show him a simple magic trick...all you need is a pencil, click on the link for instructions.
I don't see anyone blaming the Republican Party. But add to the list of insults at the kid that he is racist.
He sounds like a right winger to be sure but I know most Republicans would quickly disapprove of what he did.
Why does this have to be turned into a Republican conspiracy. Hello? He's just some young, stupid kid seeking attention that he probably never got at home...
I don't see anyone turning it into a Republican conspiracy.
How many times are Republicans going to play the victim card on this story?
Not a single person has said he was a staffer for the Republican Party or that he reflects the values of most Republicans.
If he voted do you really think there is an equal chance he would vote for either candidate?
I would highly doubt that he's even registered to vote. He's probably too busy looking for meth...
Brian, the cardboard cutouts are available online from various places. I have ordered another. I am just sad that such an incident took place. The actual act of tearing up part of a cardboard cutout isn't offensive in itself, but what it symbolizes is disgusting. It shows me that even though we've come a long way, baby, we are still seeing outrageous prejudices and we cannot stop the fight for equality.
Brian, the cardboard cutouts are available online from various places. I have ordered another. I am just sad that such an incident took place. The actual act of tearing up part of a cardboard cutout isn't offensive in itself, but what it symbolizes is disgusting. It shows me that even though we've come a long way, baby, we are still seeing outrageous prejudices and we cannot stop the fight for equality.
Brian, the cardboard cutouts are available online from various places. I have ordered another. I am just sad that such an incident took place. The actual act of tearing up part of a cardboard cutout isn't offensive in itself, but what it symbolizes is disgusting. It shows me that even though we've come a long way, baby, we are still seeing outrageous prejudices and we cannot stop the fight for equality.